To make productive more convenient and better take advantage of the neighborhood, cove is moving its current Columbia Heights location at 1402 Meridian Pl NW to 3343 14th St NW in mid-August. cove is committed to being a neighborhood productive space, providing locations in the heart of the neighborhood that are accessible and near the main attractions and delicious places to fuel up.

The new cove Columbia Heights will have two floors and sit right off 14th Street, one block north of the metro station, in the midst of the hustle and bustle of Columbia Heights. It will feature a self-serve coffee bar area with high-top stools, 32 desks, a comfortable lounge section, two call booths, two four-seat conference rooms, and the usual cove amenities (unlimited beverages, color printing/scanning, reliable wifi).”

826DC

From an email:

“826DC is growing our writing workshops and moving to a new space in the historic Tivoli Theatre across the street this fall, new store theme (TBD). I’m writing with a job opening for a full-time entry level position to support our expanding work with DC kids.

826DC, an award-winning nonprofit youth writing center located in Columbia Heights, seeks an energetic individual to serve as its full-time Programs Assistant!

826DC seeks a highly motivated self-starter to join our team as a full-time Programs Assistant. The ideal candidate will have a strong entrepreneurial spirit, be organized and dedicated, have experience with and a passion for working with students of all ages, and work well with all types of people. This position will report directly to the On-site Programs Manager while working closely with the Programs Director and the Volunteer Coordinator.

The Programs Assistant will implement, lead, and assist with on-site and off-site programming. The Programs Assistant will mobilize and train volunteers to support DC youth ages 6-18 in academic conditions that often lack quality resources and/or programs. The Programs Assistant will receive hands-on, real-world experience and leadership skills within arts education in an urban school district.

The parks department has been doing a great job keeping Meridian Hill Park looking good this year. It’s so disappointing to see that vandalism with graffiti that is starting to show up. Overall it feels like this type of vandalism is on the rise again in DC. Do you know what if anything the DC police are doing about this?”

Are others noting a rise in graffiti around town?

Ed. Note: Park Police are in charge of preventing crime in the park not MPD (DC) police.

“Has anyone noticed the young and older men around the Potbellys in COLUMBIA HEIGHTS? They seem “fazed”, “gone”, and on something other than weed. What are they on? What are police or community agencies doing to help these men?”

Sadly it appears to be the synthetic marijuana we’ve been hearing so much about. A reader sends this story from NBC Washington earlier today:

“Synthetic Drug Use Suspected Near Columbia Heights Metro Station

More than a dozen people suspected of using dangerous synthetic drugs were treated in D.C. on Friday — including four people believed to have overdosed near the Columbia Heights Metro station, according to sources within the D.C. Fire and EMS Department.”

“The gunshots you heard most likely came from the 2300 block of 11th Street, NW. We had a shooting in that block, during which two adult males received non-life-th3eatening gunshot wounds. There were no arrests, and the case is still under investigation.”

The mayor visited Columbia Heights last week for what our councilwoman billed as a public meeting “to discuss community concerns, including public safety.” Though it had been scheduled for some time, my wife and I were encouraged by the timing of the visit, coming so soon after the July 7 shoot-out at the Girard Street playground. Our three-year old daughter, numerous friends, and dozens of others – children, nannies, camp counselors – were at the playground that morning when the near-deadly incident occurred. It rattled us greatly, and we know we’re not alone feeling so unsettled by this and other recent violent activity in the neighborhood. We viewed the mayor’s visit as an important opportunity to engage with her and her staff. Unfortunately, the mayor’s outing was designed to limit public engagement to pre-scheduled appointments.

We also viewed the mayor’s visit as an opportunity for her to get an honest view of our neighborhood – both the good and the bad. From what I saw, she did not. It was a visit that was seemingly staged to the extent that it could have been a scene from the TV show, Parks and Rec. As such, it was a far cry from what we see on a daily basis. Some observations from the mayor’s time here: (more…)